Eva Mendes Always Has This in Her Bag as a Mom of Two

Eva Mendes is many things—an actress, author, entrepreneur, wife to Ryan Gosling and mom to two girls, Esmeralda Amada, 9, and Amada Lee, 8. But as the superstar approaches 51, she’s undoubtedly taking on a new role: the keeper of the stuffys.

In a recent Instagram post the Desi, Mami & the Neverending Worries picture-book creator shared a glimpse into her life as a mom, highlighting her new “stuffy” (as in stuffed animals) era. “Mami Life. I’m officially in the Stuffy Era. Where I cannot leave the house without at least two of them in my big Mami bag,” she captioned a photo and video of herself pulling out two large stuffed animals from her tote bag. “They’re everywhere! It’s all they want!” she added.

After sharing her relatable mom moment, Mendes, like many parents, turned to her community for support, asking if others were constantly lugging around several stuffed animals and whether this phase would ever end. The response from fellow parents was overwhelming.

In the comments section, moms and dads sounded off with their own experiences, sharing stories and advice on how they handle the “stuffy era” and offering reassurance—or playful warnings—about how long this trend might last. “One in the car, one in my bag, one in her rucksack, 12 MILLION in her bedroom! And she’s 10,” wrote one mom.

“After the Stuffy era, we’ve been in the Rock phase for a few years. I’ll find random little rocks in the washing machine, pockets, purse, everywhere,” added another parent. “The phase finishes when they want their own bag,” joked one commenter.

If you have a little one just starting out on their ”stuffy era,” consider these 24 best stuffed animals for babies and toddlers.